Wednesday

Sep 28, 2011 at 12:01 AMSep 28, 2011 at 12:15 AM

WASHINGTON — The repeal of the controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy doesn't mean same-sex partners of gay and lesbian troops can shop at the commissary, move into base family housing or get health care through the military.

Instead, last week's end of the policy prohibiting openly gay or lesbian service members from serving in the military brings almost no change for them when it comes to the extensive benefits offered to America's troops and their families.

The next goal of gay and lesbian groups is obtaining key benefits for same-sex partners, such as health care coverage, housing allowances, base family housing, shopping privileges, relocation assistance and family separation allowances.

"That's obviously the clear next step," said David McKean, legal director for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.

The network is a nonprofit organization devoted to ensuring parity for an estimated 66,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender troops.

The military has a two-tiered benefit system, McKean said.

"There are those service members whose spouses and families receive the full military benefits that the armed services provide," he said. "Then there are those whose families and spouses don't, and they're left to fend for themselves."

The Pentagon, however, is reviewing the possible extension of benefits that don't have eligibility spelled out by law, said Army Maj. Gen. Gary S. Patton, chief of staff of the Pentagon's DADT repeal implementation team.

The repeal does make some difference in access to certain service-member designated benefits. Gay and lesbian troops can designate same-sex partners without fear of being kicked out of the military post-DADT.

These benefits include the death gratuity, a $100,000 tax-free payment from the military if a service member dies while on active duty or in certain reserve statuses.

Service members also may designate beneficiaries for group life insurance and the Thrift Savings Plan, McKean said.

They can appoint a caregiver for their children in a family care plan, and that could be a same-sex partner.

A service member can confer these benefits on anyone: spouse, father, mother, friend or neighbor.

Department of Defense regulations determine who can receive other categories of benefits, including joint-duty assignments, on-base housing and shopping privileges at commissaries and exchanges, he said.

"We are urging them to extend them to same-sex spouses," McKean said.

Aaron Belkin is among those who believe extending a full range of benefits to same-sex partners won't be a long process like the repeal of DADT.

"Granting partner benefits would save the military money," said Belkin, author of "How We Won: Progressive Lessons from the Repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'"

"They don't give those benefits out of charity to straight people," he said. "They do it because it increases retention."

Canada's military extends a full range of benefits to same-sex partners, Belkin said.

The Pentagon's estimated tab for repealing DADT, including extending some same-sex partner benefits and training programs, is as much as $60 million annually.

Military officials also estimated a savings of $20 million, since gay and lesbian troops would no longer be drummed out of the military because of their sexual orientation.

More than 14,000 service members were discharged under the policy.

But the Defense of Marriage Act stands firmly in the way of other benefits, such as housing allowances for dependents and military health insurance.

For federal purposes, the 1996 law defines marriage as only between a man and a woman, and a spouse as someone of the opposite sex.